JESUS AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION Lesson 3 for April 21, 2018

REVELATION ITS STRUCTURE THE SANCTUARY JESUS IMAGES OF JESUS THE ALPHA AND OMEGA The book of Revelation must be studied along with the Old Testament. That’s how the symbols in Revelation make sense.

THE STRUCTURE OF REVELATION “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3) The book of Daniel ends with a blessing: “Blessed is he who waits…” (Daniel 12:12). The book of Revelation begins with a blessing, like if it was the sequel of Daniel (Revelation 1:3) Both books are divided in two sections: history and eschatology (the events in the End Time). Revelation includes an extra chapter as a bridge between those sections. Revelation covers the period between Lucifer’s rebellion (12:4) and the final triumph of Christ and the redeemed (21-22)

The insanity of the king The ram and the male goat DANIEL HISTORY DANIEL 1-6 The food of the king The dream of the king The fiery furnace The insanity of the king The writing on the wall The lions’ den ESCHATOLOGY DANIEL 7-12 The four beasts The ram and the male goat The seventy weeks The final events

REVELATION HISTORY REVELATION 1-11 Vision of Jesus Christ The seven churches The seven seals BRIDGE REVELATION 12 History of the church The final persecution ESCHATOLOGY REVELATION 13-22 The 144,000 The fall of Babylon The Second Coming The Millennium The New Earth

THE SANCTUARY IN REVELATION “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.’” (Revelation 4:1) The Outer Courtyard of the earthly sanctuary was a symbol of the events happening on Earth (Rev. 11:2). The Holy Place and Most Holy Place were a symbol of the events happening in the Heavenly Sanctuary. John was shown the history of the Church. Then, he entered the Heavenly Sanctuary through “a door standing open in heaven.” In Revelation, John was shown Heavenly truths by using symbols from the Sanctuary.

THE SANCTUARY IN REVELATION The Altar of Burnt Offerings. 6:9; 11:2 The Laver. 7:14; 11:2 The Table of Shewbread. 15:5-7 The Candlestick. 4:5 The Altar of Incense. 8:3; 9:13; 11:1; 14:17 The Ark of the Covenant. 11:19

IMAGES OF JESUS “But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’” (Revelation 5:5) Revelation explains Jesus’ redeeming work by using images: His sacrifice. A lamb who was slain (5:6) His resurrection. He has the keys of Hades and of Death (1:18) His ascension. A Child caught up to God (12:5) His victory. The Lion of the tribe of Judah (5:5) His Second Coming. Sat on a cloud with a sharp sickle in His hand (14:14-16) Jesus is “the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead” (1:5), “King of kings and Lord of lords” (19:16). We can overcome because He has overcome (12:11), and we’ll live forever with Him (22:3-4)

JESUS: THE ALPHA AND OMEGA “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” (Revelation 1:8) Jesus reveals Himself in the first chapter of Revelation: Jesus redeemed us by His love (v. 5). “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” Jesus has given us the victory (v. 6). “and has made us kings and priests to His God.” Jesus “is coming with clouds.” (v. 7) Jesus is God (v. 8). He is the Beginning and the End, who is and who was (“I AM WHO I AM”, Exodus 3:14), the Almighty (Genesis 17:1) Jesus has defeated death (v. 18) “[I] was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” Jesus cares about us (v. 12, 13, 20). He walks among the churches and has the “angels” of each one in His hand.

E.G.W. (The Acts of the Apostles, ch. 57, p. 584-585) “Let none think, because they cannot explain the meaning of every symbol in the Revelation, that it is useless for them to search this book in an effort to know the meaning of the truth it contains. The One who revealed these mysteries to John will give to the diligent searcher for truth a foretaste of heavenly things. Those whose hearts are open to the reception of truth will be enabled to understand its teachings, and will be granted the blessing promised to those who ‘hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.’ In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end. Here is the complement of the book of Daniel. One is a prophecy; the other a revelation.”